Next month, King Charles will conduct the first state visit of his reign when he invites the South African president to Buckingham Palace.
The President and First Lady of South Africa, Cyril Ramaphosa, and Tshepo Motsepe have accepted an invitation to visit the King and Queen Consort.
The visit will occur between Tuesday, November 22, and Thursday, November 24, 2018.
It is believed that the trip was in the planning stages before the September death of the Queen.
It will be the first formal visit by a South African leader to the United Kingdom in over a decade, with the previous state visit occurring in 2010 when Jacob Zuma visited the late Queen.
Since his first tour of South Africa in 1997, which included stops in Pretoria, Johannesburg, Durban, and Cape Town, the King has traveled to the country multiple times.
He last visited the country with the Queen Consort in 2011. There was no state involvement.
The Queen’s friendship with Nelson Mandela, the first democratically elected president of South Africa, was exceptionally intimate. According to reports, the duo maintained an extremely close bond and addressed each other by their first names.
Mr. Ramaphosa, who has been in office since 2018, is South Africa’s fourth leader since Mr. Mandela.
State visits are an exercise in soft power and red carpets, replete with royal pomp and banquets, but their primary purpose is to establish international ties.
The Foreign Office advises on which countries are invited, with US President Donald Trump being the most recent in 2019 when Covid halted all state visits.
Amidst a backdrop of the ceremony, photo opportunities, and the jangle of a royal carriage ride, there is pomp with a purpose. Even the paintings and objects on display from the Royal Collection can be modified to achieve the desired atmosphere.
King Charles will serve as the host at Buckingham Palace for the first time, offering a toast to South African President Cyril Ramaphosa.
Charles attended the state banquet in 1996 during Nelson Mandela’s state visit, after post-apartheid South Africa rejoined the Commonwealth.
The new King will wish to construct his bridges with the Commonwealth, expressing a message of support for multiculturalism and variety.
Mr. Ramaphosa will be welcomed ceremonially in Horse Guards Parade and then invited to a state banquet hosted by the monarch upon his arrival.
He is set to spend the remainder of their trip meeting with Prime Minister Liz Truss, cabinet ministries, and political party leaders.
The arrival of Mr. Ramaphosa, however, is marred by suspicions of money laundering.
Mr. Ramaphosa was accused of hiding up a robbery that occurred on his farm in February 2020, as part of a scandal that began to unfold in June.
He has continually refuted the claims and insisted he will run for a second term as ANC leader and president in the 2024 national elections.
